Chapter 2- Big News
'It's gone. My baby is gone. No, I don't mean Clark! I mean the Torch. To quote Clark, "The Torch was torched." It was so scary. I was typing and the computer burst into flames. As I moved away it was like the flames were following me. I yelled for Clark, don't ask why. As soon as he yelled my name the fire went out. When he came in I just clung to him. It was so unlike me, but I was really shaken up. I just squeezed Clark as hard as I could. I'm surprised I didn't hurt him! When I was in Clark's arms, I knew everything would be okay. I feel so safe when I'm around him. But, I digress. I am devoting every spare moment to resurrecting my pride and joy. It will take a long while to fix the damage. Ironically my wall wasn't harmed. Not even a singe mark on the Wall-Of-Weird! So,
now I can move it to the new office and put a picture of Coach Walt on it. The main thing that makes me stand out from everyone else..the jocks,
the cheerleaders, the nerds.is my Wall-Of-Weird. I guess being weird is my destiny. Maybe I should go on my wall!'
Clark had almost lost Chloe that day. It had scared him, but she had been okay. Clark had almost forgotten about that little incident. That had been so long ago. Over three years. It also wouldn't be the last time that Chloe was put in a dangerous situation.
easier if I could hate her. But, I can't. There's nothing to hate.other than her having the key to Clark's heart. I can't hate her for that. She doesn't know the power she holds over him. I've decided to stop fighting it and become her friend. So, when she asked me a favor I accepted.
Lana's mom, Laura (I think the family is obsessed with the letter "L" Maybe they watched too much Sesame Street), was valedictorian in The Torch usually prints the speeches, but Laura's wasn't printed because of its controversial nature. Lana asked me to find a transcript of her mother's speech. It was hard to find considering that it was p.c.
(pre-computers.) Anyway, I found it on tape. Lana was ecstatic. It kind of made me feel good.
Maybe we can be friends?
P.S. This doesn't mean I'm giving up on Clark! Never!'
So, that's what had caused Chloe's change of heart. It made sense. Clark had just been happy that Chloe was being nice to Lana. Clark continued to read.
'I just can't keep myself out of trouble, can I? Once again I was rescued by my savior, Clark Kent. I won't go into details about the "heat sucking horn dog" (as Pete so eloquently called Sean) who tried to turn me into a Popsicle, but I do need to think over something else.
To make a long story short: My foot ended up being stuck in a frozen swimming pool. Like I said, Clark rushed in to save me. Clark punched bare- handed through the ice to pull my foot out. Bare. Hand. Through. Ice. I know about the whole adrenaline makes you stronger thing-but wow! I couldn't believe it. What was that? Maybe I was just in hypothermic shock. Yeah, that has to be it. Clark couldn't have done what I thought he did!'
That had been Clark's first mistake. It was the first time he had used his powers in public. Clark had known that Chloe was a very bright person, but he hadn't given a second thought to his rescue. Clark sighed. Chloe was gone. Without a trace, and he didn't know if he would ever see her again. He absently traced Chloe's words with his fingertips. How he wished he could have her back.
"Clark, sweetheart?" Martha called from downstairs.
Clark quickly shoved the book under his mattress and ran downstairs. "Yes, Mom?"
"Lana called. She wants you to meet her at the Talon."
"Thanks, Mom," Clark replied breaking into a run. He wasn't two feet into the Talon before Lana approached him.
"Hey, Lan. What did you need?" Clark asked.
"Pete and I are going to a movie tonight, want to come?" Lana asked.
"I don't want to interfere with you two," Clark said.
"Clark, we're not married yet. Pete can handle sharing me for a few hours," Lana said with a sweet smile.
"Actually, I can't," Clark said hurriedly, as he sat down.
"Why?" Lana asked, sitting next to him and furrowing her eyebrows.
Clark didn't answer. He didn't want to lie to Lana, but he didn't want her worrying about him, either. If she found out that he had Chloe's diary she might even demand that he give it to her. Lana, Pete, and Lex knew what a toll Chloe's absence had on Clark and did everything in their power to keep Clark's mind off of her.
Lana looked intensely at Clark, her eyes narrowing. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Clark answered.
"Clark, I've known you since we were three feet tall. I can read you like a book. You're thinking about Chloe," Lana said knowingly.
"What?" Clark asked trying to play it off.
Lana laid a small hand on Clark's forearm. "Pete told me you went to talk to him yesterday. I thought you were over Chloe."
Clark winced and clenched his jaw.
"I didn't mean it like that. Clark, she's gone. I know it hurts. It hurts me, too. It hurts to not know the reason why she left us all behind to pick up the pieces," Lana said. "I wish I could bring her back. That I could ask her why she left. I want to be able to rewind and make it all better, but I can't. And neither can you, sweetie. Chloe's gone, and only she knows why."
Clark turned to look at Lana. When he saw the compassion in her eyes he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know, Lana."
"What brings on this concern over Chloe?" Lana asked looking up at Clark.
Clark ran his hand up and down Lana's arm. "I don't know."
Lana wrapped her arms tightly around Clark's waist in a comforting gesture. "You do. You just don't want to tell me. Well, I'm here if you need me."
"Thank you, Lana," Clark replied as Pete walked in.
"Hey, you guys," Pete said grinning.
"Hi, baby," Lana said with a smile.
"Hey, Pete," Clark said trying his best to elicit a believable smile.
"Hey. What were you two talking about?" Pete asked sitting next to Lana.
Clark winced.
"Just talking," Lana said sitting up and kissing Pete's cheek. Pete nodded in understanding as he kissed Lana's silky black hair.
"I'm gonna go," Clark said standing up.
"Clark. Think about what I said?" Lana asked.
"I will," Clark replied leaving.
Lana sighed against Pete. "I want to make it all better."
"So do I," Pete agreed.
'It's gone. My baby is gone. No, I don't mean Clark! I mean the Torch. To quote Clark, "The Torch was torched." It was so scary. I was typing and the computer burst into flames. As I moved away it was like the flames were following me. I yelled for Clark, don't ask why. As soon as he yelled my name the fire went out. When he came in I just clung to him. It was so unlike me, but I was really shaken up. I just squeezed Clark as hard as I could. I'm surprised I didn't hurt him! When I was in Clark's arms, I knew everything would be okay. I feel so safe when I'm around him. But, I digress. I am devoting every spare moment to resurrecting my pride and joy. It will take a long while to fix the damage. Ironically my wall wasn't harmed. Not even a singe mark on the Wall-Of-Weird! So,
now I can move it to the new office and put a picture of Coach Walt on it. The main thing that makes me stand out from everyone else..the jocks,
the cheerleaders, the nerds.is my Wall-Of-Weird. I guess being weird is my destiny. Maybe I should go on my wall!'
Clark had almost lost Chloe that day. It had scared him, but she had been okay. Clark had almost forgotten about that little incident. That had been so long ago. Over three years. It also wouldn't be the last time that Chloe was put in a dangerous situation.
easier if I could hate her. But, I can't. There's nothing to hate.other than her having the key to Clark's heart. I can't hate her for that. She doesn't know the power she holds over him. I've decided to stop fighting it and become her friend. So, when she asked me a favor I accepted.
Lana's mom, Laura (I think the family is obsessed with the letter "L" Maybe they watched too much Sesame Street), was valedictorian in The Torch usually prints the speeches, but Laura's wasn't printed because of its controversial nature. Lana asked me to find a transcript of her mother's speech. It was hard to find considering that it was p.c.
(pre-computers.) Anyway, I found it on tape. Lana was ecstatic. It kind of made me feel good.
Maybe we can be friends?
P.S. This doesn't mean I'm giving up on Clark! Never!'
So, that's what had caused Chloe's change of heart. It made sense. Clark had just been happy that Chloe was being nice to Lana. Clark continued to read.
'I just can't keep myself out of trouble, can I? Once again I was rescued by my savior, Clark Kent. I won't go into details about the "heat sucking horn dog" (as Pete so eloquently called Sean) who tried to turn me into a Popsicle, but I do need to think over something else.
To make a long story short: My foot ended up being stuck in a frozen swimming pool. Like I said, Clark rushed in to save me. Clark punched bare- handed through the ice to pull my foot out. Bare. Hand. Through. Ice. I know about the whole adrenaline makes you stronger thing-but wow! I couldn't believe it. What was that? Maybe I was just in hypothermic shock. Yeah, that has to be it. Clark couldn't have done what I thought he did!'
That had been Clark's first mistake. It was the first time he had used his powers in public. Clark had known that Chloe was a very bright person, but he hadn't given a second thought to his rescue. Clark sighed. Chloe was gone. Without a trace, and he didn't know if he would ever see her again. He absently traced Chloe's words with his fingertips. How he wished he could have her back.
"Clark, sweetheart?" Martha called from downstairs.
Clark quickly shoved the book under his mattress and ran downstairs. "Yes, Mom?"
"Lana called. She wants you to meet her at the Talon."
"Thanks, Mom," Clark replied breaking into a run. He wasn't two feet into the Talon before Lana approached him.
"Hey, Lan. What did you need?" Clark asked.
"Pete and I are going to a movie tonight, want to come?" Lana asked.
"I don't want to interfere with you two," Clark said.
"Clark, we're not married yet. Pete can handle sharing me for a few hours," Lana said with a sweet smile.
"Actually, I can't," Clark said hurriedly, as he sat down.
"Why?" Lana asked, sitting next to him and furrowing her eyebrows.
Clark didn't answer. He didn't want to lie to Lana, but he didn't want her worrying about him, either. If she found out that he had Chloe's diary she might even demand that he give it to her. Lana, Pete, and Lex knew what a toll Chloe's absence had on Clark and did everything in their power to keep Clark's mind off of her.
Lana looked intensely at Clark, her eyes narrowing. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Clark answered.
"Clark, I've known you since we were three feet tall. I can read you like a book. You're thinking about Chloe," Lana said knowingly.
"What?" Clark asked trying to play it off.
Lana laid a small hand on Clark's forearm. "Pete told me you went to talk to him yesterday. I thought you were over Chloe."
Clark winced and clenched his jaw.
"I didn't mean it like that. Clark, she's gone. I know it hurts. It hurts me, too. It hurts to not know the reason why she left us all behind to pick up the pieces," Lana said. "I wish I could bring her back. That I could ask her why she left. I want to be able to rewind and make it all better, but I can't. And neither can you, sweetie. Chloe's gone, and only she knows why."
Clark turned to look at Lana. When he saw the compassion in her eyes he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know, Lana."
"What brings on this concern over Chloe?" Lana asked looking up at Clark.
Clark ran his hand up and down Lana's arm. "I don't know."
Lana wrapped her arms tightly around Clark's waist in a comforting gesture. "You do. You just don't want to tell me. Well, I'm here if you need me."
"Thank you, Lana," Clark replied as Pete walked in.
"Hey, you guys," Pete said grinning.
"Hi, baby," Lana said with a smile.
"Hey, Pete," Clark said trying his best to elicit a believable smile.
"Hey. What were you two talking about?" Pete asked sitting next to Lana.
Clark winced.
"Just talking," Lana said sitting up and kissing Pete's cheek. Pete nodded in understanding as he kissed Lana's silky black hair.
"I'm gonna go," Clark said standing up.
"Clark. Think about what I said?" Lana asked.
"I will," Clark replied leaving.
Lana sighed against Pete. "I want to make it all better."
"So do I," Pete agreed.